A farmer has been fined £500 for causing danger by allowing muck from his fields to be dragged by agricultural machinery onto roads in the Portrush area.

In what is believed to be one of the first cases of its kind to have come before Coleraine Magistrate’s Court, 51-year-old Norman McCollum, of Islandtasserty Road in the Co Londonderry town, admitted two charges of causing mud and muck to be deposited on a road in such a position as to cause or be likely to cause an obstruction or danger.

The offences were detected at Atlantic Road, Portrush, and also Coleraine Road/Agherton Road, Portrush, on November 7 last year. A prosecutor said police received complaints from drivers that the road was dangerous to drive on because of mud which was brought onto the road by agricultural vehicles owned by contractors working on behalf of the defendant.

The court was told white lines and 'cats eyes' were obscured by mud which affected the steering and traction of a police vehicle.